Our Work

The 2018 Arizona Mayors Education Dashboards Report

The Arizona Mayors Education Roundtable, a WestEd initiative, organizes events throughout the state to bring together diverse groups to improve education. Past meetings have included provocative discussions with state and national leaders as well as working sessions with local educators and community members. Join an upcoming meeting in your community to learn more and get involved.

"'College and career readiness' is the umbrella under which many education and workforce policies, programs and initiatives thrive." (Achieve, Inc., 2012)

With initial funding from the Helios Education Foundation, mayors from across the state have formed the Arizona Mayors Education Roundtable. The virtual organization—managed by WestEd, a research, development and service agency—will provide an important way for mayors to have in-depth discussions about education initiatives and develop common, cohesive strategies for addressing local problems.

2018 Arizona Mayors Education Dashboards Report

These economic losses put into focus a key consideration for Arizona cities and towns: the impact of youth education outcomes extends beyond individual students and the school system. Economic losses associated with high school non-completion and youth disconnection—losses that reflect effects including lost earnings, higher rates of criminal activity, poorer health, and increased reliance on government programs—have significant consequences for a locality’s economic development and growth in the long-term.

The analysis and methods for modelling the estimated economic losses shown in the 2018 Arizona Mayors Education Dashboards report were developed by Prof. Clive Belfield (Queens College, City University of New York). See the following studies for more information.

Belfield, C. R. (2014, March). The Economic Burden of High School Failure and Opportunity Youth Evidence Across Arizona: Cost-Benefit Analysis, Return on Investment and Social Value.https://www.crbelfield.org/articles